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Mark Robins was unable to prevent Coventry City sliding into League Two when he took charge of the club for a second time at the end of last season but, 12 months on, he can draw satisfaction at having overseen the club’s first promotion in 51 years. He believes this victory demonstrates a growing sense of unity at the troubled club.

Coventry last experienced the joy of going up when Jimmy Hill guided the side into the old First ­Division in 1967. A 34-year stay in the top flight has been followed by steady decline and a deepening rift between the club’s hedge-fund owners and the club’s supporters.

Now, having secured the club’s first top-six finish since 1970, ­Robins can add an impressive new line to his CV following a ­convincing victory over an Exeter side who left Wembley crestfallen for a second successive season and with Paul Tisdale, the manager, indicating his future may lie away from the club.

Tisdale’s side were hoping that, having lost to Blackpool last ­season, they would add their name to the list of nine clubs who have followed defeat with victory when they have appeared in consecutive play-off ­finals. Instead, second-half goals from Coventry’s Jordan Willis, ­Jordan Shipley and Jack Grimmer ensured they join Leicester City, as the only club to experience back-to-back disappointments, with Kyle Edwards’s 89th-minute reply coming too late to trigger a fightback.

Robins hopes this victory marks a turning point in the club’s recent history. “It’s nice to have a promotion, but it’s not about me, it’s about the players and the supporters and uniting a club that desperately needed it,” said the manager.

“It needed galvanising and that bit continues. It’s a real ­major positive for everyone and I think that’s where we can run with it. That’s where the ­momentum comes from, that positivity. This was really ­important for the club from where it’s been.”

Coventry’s victory was deserved and the way they stepped up after the interval proved decisive.

Willis, a centre-back, struck an outstanding, curling shot from ­outside the area for the opening goal after the 49th minute and his effort was matched by that of ­Grimmer, the right-back.

In between, Shipley had doubled the lead after the 54th minute and Exeter were unable to respond.

Tisdale admitted the game could mark the end of his 12-year ­association with the club, having been offered a two-year contract by the club’s controlling supporters’ trust 18 months ago.

With Steve Perryman, the ­director of football set to retire, ­Tisdale acknowledged the club faces a difficult period of change.

“Maybe they should have thought about that when they made the decision 18 months ago to put me on notice,” he said.

“Since being served my notice 18 months ago, it’s been rather surreal. I don’t know if the supporters get together on the terraces and decide that they have had enough? Is that how it works? Did it reflect all the opinions? Probably not.”